I

But even without these special cir­ Books cumstances I wculd have been fascin­ ated by the figure who had just come into the room . . . The first thing that struck me, apart from this un­ looked for air of benignity, was the extraordinary glow in the eyes beneath his bushy brows, huge forehead and tuft of grey hair . . . The expression in those remarkable eyes would have HO CHI MINH, by Jean invited the word “ingenuous”, except Lacouture, Allen Lane. The that I knew things about him which Penguin Press. $5.25. precluded any possibility that ingenu­ ousness might be among his attri­ THE DECISION of President John­ butes . . . son to call a halt to the US bombing of N orth Vietnam has already set When he asked me to have a cup many people asking “Why?” State­ of tea, or drew up a chair for me, or ments from military and political lead­ offered me a cigarette, it was as ers in America and South Vietnam though he were making apologies for have assured us that the war in Viet­ living among the trappings of a col­ nam is being won by the Allies. Why onial governor. Since then, people then, at this moment, should a halt have assured me this awkwardness be called? was an act . . . But can mere artifice really have produced that engaging No one can understand this situa­ manner and that extraordinary gift tion without attempting some study for making contact, a gift which at of the history of the Vietnamese nat­ once engendered a warm and direct ion and Ho Chi Minh, the man who exchange of views and gave a startling- leads it in the north, and who com­ ly fresh ring to commonplace words?" mands the love and respect of millions in the south as well. What kind of I myself felt this extraordinary man is he? Why can’t the Americans charm and freshness, coupled with re­ find anything worse to call him than markable informality, on the many a Communist boss? Why couldn’t the occasions when I met President Ho French, who hated him bitterly, ever Chi Minh during my three years in tind him guilty of anything but poli­ H anoi, from 1958 on. T he British tical crimes? What are his aims? Jean lawyer, Loseby who defended him Lacouture, who spent much time in tirelessly when he was arrested in Vietnam, has interviewed Ho Chi Hong Kong, and who returned to visit Minh himself many times and had him as President of the Democratic access to French records of the colonial R epublic of V ietnam in 1960, fifteen and post-colonial periods, provides years later, and Sir Stafford Cripps, many of the answers, in this full scale later to be Chancellor of the Exche­ biography. quer, who argued his case before the British Cabinet, were not proof against President Ho’s charisma is such it. Vo Nguyen Giap, who met him that everyone feels it. Lacouture is for the first tim e in 1940 and has an experienced and sophisticated remained his close comrade-in-arms journalist. His book is a fine lesson and politics ever since, describes this in objective writing, but read his meeting. “I found myself confronted description of his first meeting with by a man of shining simplicity. This H o. ”... I was steeped in the legend was the first time I had set eyes on of the man, trying to read every word him, yet already we were conscious that had been written about him . . . of deep bonds of friendship.” 74 AUSTRALIAN LEFT REVIEW December, 1968

Lacouture's book traces the deve­ characteristic of Ho Chi Minh, his lopment of Ho Chi Minh, from the capacity to inspire love and affection. time he was a tiny boy, named Cung, Throughout South-East Asia he is re­ through his various aliases of Nguyet ferred to almost universally as Bar Tat Thanh, Ba. Nguyen Ai Quoc, H o — Uncle Ho — and this is really Vuong, and Lin, lo the final Ho Chi meaningful. As Lacouture explains, Minh — He who Enlightens. there are two Vietnamese words con­ stantly used when Ho Chi Minh’s He investigates with care and ob­ name crops up in Vietnam — they are jectivity and yet always one feels that nghia, and hicu. his sympathy is held. Is Uncle Ho first a patriot and then a revolution­ Xghia is close to ihe idea contained ary, as many have claimed? My own in "duty" and the nghia binding Ho feeling is that he himself would see to the Vietnamese people is the consci­ these as two sides of the one coin. ousness of a two-way obligation, of He is certainly a brave man, surviv­ devotedness on the one side and loy­ ing out of "sheer stubborness”, long alty and discipline on the other. Add periods in prison and hospital with to this liieu, filial piety, and you get his ever recurring tuberculosis. something like the extraordinary bond of love that is felt by the people and At least twice, his terms of impri­ by Ho himself. As Lacouture says, sonment and brutal treatment, coupl­ no other leader in the world today ed with tuberculosis, have led to re­ is viewed by his followers as being ports of his death. How he didn't both inventor and protector, source die is a miracle, and when in a coma and guide, theory and practice, nat­ deep in the jungle, Vo Nguyen Giap ion and revolution, yogi and commis­ reports that with what he and every­ sar, goodnatured uncle and great war- one else thought were Ho’s dying leader. breaths he was outlining the course of the revolution for the immediate The growth of the man and his future. stature is accurately traced and doc­ umented. His development and be­ Ho is also a poet, writing in sharp, havior as a leader are reported with Chinese characters, verse that appeals the keen eyes of the French political by its humanist quality even in trans­ journalist, whose country has a unique lation. His verses contained in the background in Vietnam among Euro­ volume known as Prison Diary, reveal pean nations. many facets of his human qualities, the humor, compassion, tenderness But Ho’s attitude to America and and at times sharpness. The English- America's position in Vietnam is also language editior has been beautifully carefully defined and anyone who still written by the Australian poet Aileen is foolish enough to believe that the Palmer, working painstakingly from a Americans have been in Vietnam for word-by-word translation from the freedom's sake, should carefully read Vietnamese. page 227 and think for a second time. So Ho. Chi Minh is revealed by Lacouture, by no means a commu­ Lacouture as a patriot, a revolutionary, nist, and a man who must have done a poet, a man of courage, but also an enormous amount of research in a skilled publicist, a liberator, a nego­ his work as a journalist and the writ­ tiator of extraordinary patience and ing of his earlier book Le Vietnam wit, and a brilliant resistance leader. entre deux paix, as well as in this Lacouture also spends a lot of time book in which Vietnam and Ho Chi on what is probably the outstanding Minh are almost inseparable, finds 75 AUSTRALIAN LEFT REVIEW December, 1968

it in his heart to finish in this way: the law of falling profit we are not re­ "Uncle IIo is an old man now, and jecting or revising a time-honoured tired after so many years of fighting in theorem of political economy: we are ihe revolutionary cause. But even simply taking account of the un­ if . . . he does not live to see Viet­ doubted fact that the structure of the nam reunified and independent, all capitalist economy has undergone a the wav from the China border to fundamental change since that theorem Cape Camau, others — deputies whom was formulated. What is most essential he has moulded for no other purpose, about the change from competitive to and who have fought hard themselves monopoly capitalism finds its theoreti­ — will live to see it for him.” cal expression in this substitution."

Who knows, perhaps President Here the authors claim too much Johnston's advisers, on the matter about bringing the (implied) obsolete of stopping the bombing, may have analysis of Karl Marx up to date. Take either read this book or taken a long, the absolute rise in surplus. In Volume level look at the facts which led to 3 of Capital, Marx argues that as the its writing. process of production and capital ac­

L o r r a in e Sa l m o n cumulation proceeds, the mass of sur­ plus value that can be and is approp­ riated must grow, and so must also MONOPOLY CAPITAL, by grow the absolute mass of profits accu­ Baran and Sweezy. Pelican mulated by the capitalist class. The Paperback, 390 p.p. $1.45. decline in the rate of profit itself leads to a rise in the mass of profits and THE PUBLICATION in Australia of in the mass of surplus. This is because a new and cheap edition of M onopoly the huge amounts of capital locked up Capital raises three important ques­ in investment, while they tend to real­ tions for Marxists: (a) how valid is the ise a sm aller rate of profit, swell the analysis? (b) how does it fit in with volume of total profits. other contemporary radical analysis of modern capitalism (such as Galbraith's Moreover Capital is not confined to The Modern Industrial State)? (c) how an analysis of competitive capitalism. far do its basic conclusions apply to Marx also thought he discerned a long Australia? term trend to increased concentration and centralisation of capital, rapid Central to the book is the demonstra­ elimination of small and medium­ tion that because of pricing policies sized enterprises and a tendency for within the modern capitalist corpora­ exploitation to increasingly take the tion, modern capitalism is characterised form of more “relative” surplus value by a tendency for “economic surplus” through higher productivity from more (defined as the difference between what machinery per worker (rather than a society produces and the costs incur­ from more “absolute” surplus value red in producing it) to rise in both from longer hours and wage freeze). absolute and relative terms. The This is surely an early sketch of a authors say: “This law immedi­ “model” of monopolistic capitalism. ately invites comparison, as it should, with the classical Marxian Granted that there is a dominant law of the falling tendency of the rate tendency towards rising surplus, the of profit. Without entering into an major contradiction faced by the sys­ analysis of the different versions of the tem is the absorption and distribution latter, we can say that they all pre­ of the growing surplus. This problem suppose a competitive system. By sub­ enables Baran and Sweezy to introduce stituting the law of rising surplus for a splendid discussion of the role played 76 AUSTRALIAN' LEFT REVIEW December, 19G8

by the economic activities of the State, in the USA. It is still in an extensive the role of advertising and the drive phase of development — it remains to war preparation in promoting waste­ largely a frontier economy. While the ful “outlets”. Military spending and manufacturing sector is highly mono­ capital export though, are partly self- polistic, other sectors (rural industry, defeating, since the former increases tertiary industry, services) are not. the profit rate and capital exports pro­ "Surplus" is probably rising only in duce a return flow of profits and in­ manufacturing. Moreover, Australia terest. has a clever public service with more power and independence from its poli­ Much of the technical side of the tical masters than in the USA. They analysis depends, quite rightly, on the degree of monopoly. But while the are sure to introduce certain piecemeal reforms to counter the trends mention­ authors show how this affects the dis­ ed by Baran and Sweezy: advertisem ent tribution of surplus among industries, taxes, consumers’ research and discri­ they do not discuss in detail the mech­ minatory taxation to curb profit reten­ anism by which it influences the level tion. Such things are not politically of aggregate surplus. In this respect, possible in America because of the the price and profit policies of large greater power and fanatical adherence corporations are not a sufficient explan­ to laissez faire policies of big business. ation, as many sectors of the economy In Australia they are politically pos­ do not operate on this basis. sible: indeed the role of the Australian Galbraith’s analysis is close to Baran Labor Party as one pillar of the system and Sweezy in stressing the central role would definitely be to introduce them. of oligopoly and the “techno-structure" which operates it, as well as the formal B. McFarlane link between large corporation and the state. Galbraith also stresses the irra­ tionalities of American capitalism. ON NATIVE GROUNDS: However, he pays less attention to AUSTRALIAN WRITING "realisation” problems and more to management problems: the role of FROM MEANJIN bureaucracy, planning by the capital­ QUARTERLY, ist state etc. C. B. Christesen, Editor. Applying Baran and Sweezy to Aus­ Angus & Robertson, 494 p.p. tralian conditions we can note devia­ $6.00. tions from their “monopoly capital" MEAXJIX commenced publication in model (which is after all, the result December 1940 as Meunjin Papers: of a close study of the base and super­ Contemporary Queensland Verse — a structure of American society). Devia­ slim eight page pamphlet devoted en­ tions arise from the tradition of Aus­ tirely to poetry. Clearly its editor, tralian vested interest group organisa­ Clem Christesen, had no idea of the tions operating on a number of central success which would attend his ven­ economic command posts and ad hoc ture, nor indeed of exactly what that regulatory agencies. True, the sort of venture was. In the first issue he wrote formal integration of big business and that M eanjin would print prose as government detected by Baran-Sweezy well as verse, oven though lie saw its and Galbraith is now growing up side main duty as being to “talk poetry”. by side with this system. But the older He wrote: "It is hoped to continue system still persists. publication of this brochure through­ Australia is still an open economy, out the war period — and perhaps more influenced by world trade than well into the Peace.” 77 AUSTRALIAN LEFT REVIEW December, 1968

But the early search for an identity and one of the chief reasons why it for M eanjin can be seen from the fact occupies such an important position that with the second number the sub­ in the field of Australian culture is title became Contemporary Queens­ simply that its consistent effort to land Prose and Verse and with the escape parochialism has enabled it to third number Contemporary Queens­ speak with a voice of sophistication land Letters, whereas the fourth num­ and authority unparalleled in our lit­ ber saw a reversion to the subtitle of erary history, and approached per­ the second. haps only by Overland. Overseas writ­ ers who have written for M eanjin in ­ By 1945, however, M eanjin had mov­ clude Ezra Pound, Sean O'Casey, Jean- ed to Melbourne and was bearing the Paul Sartre, Dylan Thomas and C. P. imprint of the University Press, was Snow. As well, a whole num ber eighty pages long and carried four (3/1963) was devoted to recent French pages of plates each quarter. It claim­ writing. ed a circulation of four thousand. It was now subtitled A Quarterly of Lit­ But of course it is prim arily as A erature and included a wide range of Review of Arts and Letters in Aus­ contributions, both from Australia tralia (the present subtitle) that M ean­ and overseas. The more distinctive jin has become famous, and it is this M eanjin, the M eanjin we know to­ aspect of the journal which this book day, had begun to take shape. represents so adequately. None of the material in it of course is new — Even so, as one looks back through some of it, in fact, appeared nearly the files of the first two volumes (the thirty years ago. And yet, reading first sixteen numbers) one of the most through the book, it’s almost impos­ striking things is the way in which sible to seize upon anything that does M eanjin, operating under war-time not seem worthy of reprinting. In­ conditions, and being published in deed, one of the most striking things very limited numbers, was able to about the book is the way in which it build up a list of contributors who confirms, even within the confines of were, or who have since become, nat­ a few hundred pages, what one has ional or well-known figures. They in­ often thought: that the influence of cluded: Kate Baker, Manning Clark, M eanjin on Australian letters and Miles Franklin, H. M. Green, A. D. culture over the past quarter-century Hope, Vance and Nettie Palmer, R. has been profound, and on a far more D. Fitzgerald, Kylie Tennant, Judith serious level than the influence exert­ Wright and James McAuley. An im­ ed by that other major journal in pressive list by the standards of any Australian history, the B ulletin of the Australian journal; for one published 1880's and 90’s. in war-time Brisbane, little short of phenomenal. Seminal articles, or articles by writ­ ers of seminal importance, have Now, twenty-odd years later, and abounded in M eanjin, and several of still under the editorship of Christe- them appear in this anthology. Rex sen, M eanjin has produced this antho­ Ingamells' “Australian Outlook'’ (8/ logy of writings which appeared in it 1942) , for instance, where the leader of during its first twenty five years. Or at the Jindyworobak movement spoke out least, an anthology of the work of against the Australian tendency to Australian writers for M eanjin. T he “embrace a sickly, irrelevant nostalgia distinction is worth making because, for English Society and Hollywood far more than any other Australian notoriety”; or A. A. Phillips’ now quarterly, M eanjin has established famous “The Cultural Cringe” (4/ contact with major overseas writers, 1950) , an article w hich seems to lie 78 AUSTRALIAN LEFT REVIEW December, 1968 close to the heart of M eanjin and the seded by John Tregenza’s recent book, values for which it has stood. David Australian Little Magazines. I was Martin's article on Judah Waten, surprised too not to see Brian Fitz­ Frank Hardy and John Morrison, patricks "Counter-revolution in Aus­ Three Realists in Search of Reality" tralian Historiography?" (2/1963) in­ (3/1959) was another to break entirely cluded. But the biggest omission of new ground, and R. 1). Fitzgerald's all, and one which seems impossible to "Mary Gilmore: Poet and Great Aus­ understand, is that of Jack Lindsay, tralian" (4/1960) is an essay of great who has been one of the most con­ interest and importance: a tribute from sistent and important of M eanjin con­ one major poet to another. tributors over many years. Surely he counts as an Australian! Through articles of this quality (and they have been many) M eanjin, L e o n C a n t r e l l whilst it has been forging its own identity, has done more than any other contemporary journal to help QUOTATIONS FROM forge an Australian identity as well. CHAIRMAN LBJ, by Wren & Shepherd. Simon & One could go on to list further the Schuster, N.Y., 189 p.p. articles, stories, poems and sketches $2.50. included in this volume from A. D. Hope's still very funny review (“Con­ 1 just knew in my heart that it was fessions of a Zombie”) of a youthful not right for Dick Nixon to ever be novel by Max Harris (1/1944) , to the President of this country. (LBJ, Oc­ stories of Vance Palmer, Patrick White, tober 1964) Peter Cowan, Alan Marshall and This is just one of the gems from Judah Waten, and the poems of the very latest in little red books — a Hope, Douglas Stewart, Gwen Har­ record of the more memorable quota­ wood and Judith Wright (who can tions from the speeches, inusings and probably be regarded as Aleanjin’s disgressions of Lyndon Baines John­ great literary "discovery” during the son. It is indeed a fitting tribute to period). These are but a fraction of the LBJ empire now in the last stages the book’s offerings. of its demise. Pocket-sized and sturdily It would be a mistake though to bound in red cloth (no cheap Chinese feel that the book could in some way plastics for Lyndon, thanks!) it con­ supersede our fdes of back copies of tains over 500 of Lyndon’s sayings. M eanjin, for clearly there are many The date and source of each is given tilings Which just couldn’t be includ­ but no attempt has been made to re­ ed. The various “causes” with which work the heroic thoughts into gram­ M eanjin has been associated over the matical English. Translators, Wren & years, for instance. One will still have Shepherd, have merely arranged them to go to the files for issue by issue under such helpful headings as M es­ accounts of M eanjin and the Elizabe­ sianic Infallibity, Heroic Exhortations, than Theatre Trust, or the academic Let a Hundred Flowers Flourish, recognition of Australian literature, or W hite M an’s Burden, etc. the Power Bequest. And it’s a pity that space couldn’t have been found The book cannot fail to amuse as for a few more articles: for example, from first (Don’t spit in the soup. Norman Bartlett’s “The Necessity of We’ve all got to eat’) to last (I’m the the Little Magazine: The Australian only President you've got) it fairly Scene” (2/1948), a pioneering article bristles with the ultimate in John­ of great interest, and still not super­ sonian inanities, trivia and social 79 AUSTRALIAN I.F.FT REVIEW Dcccmber, 1968

gaffes. For this reason alone it is a Philby played an important part in good investment. the inner-service political intrigue which required British cultivation of Of more importance, however, is the CIA and hoodwinking of the FBI the clear insight it gives into the of Hoover, whom he describes as a complete hypocrisy of the man who man with "a bubble reputation" in portravs himself as a liberal, a cham p­ counter-espionage, but a great politi­ ion of civil rights legislation and a cian who has put his vast dossier file peacemaker. Thanks to the painstak­ on Americans to effective use in de­ ing research of Wren i>; Shepherd. fending his “totalitarian empire." The Johnson stands condemned by his Anglo-American intelligence conflict own words as a bigot, a cynical mili­ emerges sharply when Philby lifts tarist, a man of little perception and the lid on ill-fated attempts to land even less compassion. a force in Albania to prepare for an Have \ou ever wondered what John­ invasion and counter-revolution and son really thought about negroes, also to drop subversion agents into peace, Vietnam and the host of other the Soviet Ukraine. Both were com­ matters about which he frequently plete failures. But Philby leaves little mouths such tired cliches? Quotation» doubt, in outlining the bitter clashes from Chairman LB] makes it alarming­ between the British and American ly clear. It is a telling indictment no planners of these forays, that the CIA less of Johnson himself than of his finally engineered the destruction of society. the British-employed agents sent to the Ukraine, and then of the British- P a t r ic ia H e a i y sponsored Ukrainian anti-Soviet lead­ er. Stepan Bandera in West Germany. Despite his mammoth outwitting MY SILENT WAR, by Kim and now exposure of the British Estab­ Philby. Hicks, Smith & Sons, lishment, Philby curiously retains the 158 p.p. $4.25. admiration and affection of many who knew him — if Graham Greene's pre­ face to the book means anything. THIS BOOK by the master Soviet Philby evidently displayed all the best spy and arch-traitor to the Anglo- characteristics of a gentleman in Brit­ American Establishment, Kim Philby, ish upper-class terms. Greene refers leaves enough questions unanswered to "Philby's enemies" (presumably the to justify the hope that it is not his Establishment hard core) as though last book on the subject. they are no friends of Greene either. No Englishman has written so All this is an extraordinary achieve­ frankly and contemporaneously about ment for one man who likes to sum the obscurely fascinating intelligence himself up simply as a Soviet intelli­ net work of British imperialism; no gence officer. It is therefore perhaps one has been more crushing with an understandable that, in writing the inside view of its doomed elite. Yet book, his main worry seems to be that there is enough of the English Estab­ he won’t be believed. He is at pains lishment left in Philby himself to to force those members of the Estab­ lend zeal to his outline of the conflicts lishment who read his book (presum­ between American and British intel­ ably they would rush it) to realise ligence services, whose marriage in that one of themselves could consist­ the war-time 1940’s “doomed the Brit­ ently and successfully work to defeat ish services, in the long run, to junior them on the basis of the inherent status." weaknesses of their system. 80 AUSTRALIAN LEFT REVIEW December, 1968

Philby's chosen career was due not left political movement? His early to some degeneracy or greed but to disillusion with the British Labor decision to work for the Soviet Union Party could have been a normal spur as the “fortress” of communism; his to this. The answer could be in his success was due to his superior skill shock that the “supposedly sophisti­ and his maintenance of all the mores cated electorate had been stampeded of the British Establishment except (in 1931) by the cynical propaganda the one most taken for granted — of the day.” Philby could not find patriotism. The realisation of this faith in the political potential of the must be shattering to many in British British masses: perhaps this is why he ruling circles even today. Superficial­ became a Soviet agent instead of a ly, Philby was a classic product of the British communist. There is a world “clever” wing of the Establishment, of difference between the two. beginning with the permissible flirta­ tion with the left at Cambridge. Later A l e c R o b e r t s o n he took off for the Spanish Civil War . . . on Franco’s side, and in the pay of T he Times. Natural—yet unnatural, THE PUZZLED PATRIOTS, for he was already a committed of­ by Bruce Muirden. Melbourne ficer of Soviet intelligence. University Press, 200 p.p. $6.75. He succeeded in entering the Brit­ ish secret service by invitation, having MUCH PAINSTAKING RESEARCH “dropped a few hints here and there” has gone into this completely objective before heading for France as corres­ account of the arrest and internment, pondent in October, 1939. By 1944, during World War II, of a small he was a senior secret service execu­ group of Australian-born citizens, sus­ tive with a share in policy making. pected by Military Intelligence of conspiring to help the Japanese ag­ Philby will not even allow unchal­ gressors. Most were members of the lenged any suggestion that he might Australia First movement, whose have had “divided” loyalties as a leading figure was P. R. (Inky) Ste- double agent. His remarkably success­ phensen. ful career in the secret service was simply, to him, a "cover job” for his Stephensen edited a monthly per­ real service based on prior commit­ iodical, The Publicist, founded in ment to the Soviet Union. 1936 by W. J. Miles, a well-to-do public accountant and company dir­ Evidently by no means an uncritical ector. The editorial policy of The Sovietophile, he indicates that he was Publicist was proclaimed in the first shaken by Stalinist excesses. But he issue: “No writer will be a writer rejected the temptation to “give up” for this paper unless he stands defi- or to take the road of the “querulous itely for Australia First.” An intense outcasts of the Koestler-Crankshaw- dislike, shared by Miles and Stephen­ Muggeridge variety, railing at the sen, for all things British, rather than movement that had let me down — a any great love of country, inspired the ghastly fate, however lucrative it slogan, “Australia First.” might have been.” Philby found that despite enormous errors by individual The philosophy espoused by The leaders, he p refers the people they Publicist was a crude, narrow, chau­ lead to those uf any other movement. vinistic Australian nationalism, with anti-British, anti-semitic, anti-com­ Why, theti, lidn’t Philby in the first munist, and pro-fascist overtones. In place coinr l I himself to work in the May 1937, when the organised labor

81 AUSTRALIAN LEFT REVIEW December, 1968 movement, recognising the inherent Within three years Stephensen had danger to Australia’s future secur­ been taken into custody at the insti­ ity involved in Japan’s undeclared gation of Military Police Intelligence war against China, was demanding and interned for reasons substantially a boycott of Japanese goods, Stephen- the same as alleged by the W orkers’ sen wrote in The Publicist: “I say W eekly. To this extent the Commun­ let the Japanese have a free hand ist Party and the Workers’ Weekly in China.” Six months later he re­ can justifiably claim foresight. The turned to this theme, writing it is same applies to those workers who “far better that Australia should ride demonstrated violently against the with Japan in the Pacific than decline Adyar Hall meeting of the Australia with Britain in the Atlantic.” First movement in February 1942, when Japanese bombs were already From 1938 The Publicist began re ­ falling on Darwin. However, the printing Hitler’s speeches. At this authorities, instead of clamping down stage W. J. Miles, Stephensen and on Stephensen and his pro-Axis sup­ the group centred on The Publicist porters, took action against the real were not alone in their pro-axis sym­ patriots, his bitter opponents. James pathies. The Prime Minister to be, McLoughlin, a waterside worker, and Robert Gordon Menzies, had openly Andrew Dove, a laborer, were ar­ expressed his admiration for both rested, charged and convicted of of­ Mussolini and Hitler. As Attorney- fensive behavior. General in the Lyons’ Ministry, he framed coercive measures to compel Impetus for the Sydney round-up Port Kembla waterside workers to of Australia Firsters came from load scrap metal into the Dalfram Perth, in a coded telegram from bound for Japan. When war even­ Colonel H. D. Moseley, staff officer tuated R. G. Menzies put his pro- in charge of Army Intelligence, West­ Axis sympathies in the background ern Command. Colonel Moseley’s and donned the mantle of patriot. message to Army Intelligence authori­ ties in Sydney was based on the de­ Had P. R. Stephensen and his as­ tention of four persons in Perth, under sociates done likewise they may have section 13 of the National Security avoided their subsequent fate. The Act. Their detention was instigated Communist Party, which spearheaded by Detective-Sergeant G. R. Richards, the opposition to war and fascism, who was then in charge of the Special consistently denounced the activities (political) Bureau of the Perth CIB. of Stephensen and The Publicist. In Richards subsequently rose to the post April 1939 Stephensen took out a of Deputy Director of the Australian libel action against the Communist Security Intelligence Organisation. He Workers’ Weekly, arising from an played a prominent role in the not­ article and a poster stating “Sydney’s orious Petrov provocation, staged Nazi Underworld.” Stephensen com­ against the labor movement by R. G. plained that he was portrayed as a Menzies on the eve of the 1954 Fed­ paid traitor and agent of another na­ eral elections. Richards based his alle­ tion. T h e Workers’ Weekly, rep re­ gations against the four WA de­ sented by Mr. Clive Evatt, pleaded tainees on reports furnished by a in defence that the article was true, paid agent, Frederick James Thomas. was published in the public benefit None of the four Westralians had any and was fair comment on a matter firm affiliations with The Publicist of public interest. The jury found group in Sydney, although two of for Stephensen, but awarded the in­ them had sent letters. All the evidence sulting damages of one farthing. points to Thomas, who was paid £5

8 2 AUSTRALIAN LEFT REVIEW December, 1968

a week by Richards, acting as an agent a Commission of Inquiry, headed by provocateur; as defence counsel for Mr. Justice Clyne, it was found tha the four put it, “No Thomas, no con­ eight of the internees had been un­ spiracy.” justifiably detained. Mr. Justice Clyne recommended to the Government that Some of the most lurid and sensa­ they be awarded compensation. tional evidence provided by Rich­ ards and Thomas in the conspiracy The most significant aspect of the trial formed the main content of whole incident, which provides Colonel Moseley’s telegram to Sydney. grounds for serious thought today, is the amount of power wielded by the T h e officer who w ould norm ally so-called security forces. Secret police have had responsibility for acting on spying on the peace, democratic, stud­ the Perth message was Lieutenant- ent and labor movements, is on a much Colonel J. M. Prentice. In civilian life, vaster scale than it was in the mid­ Prentice had been a radio commen­ war period. So much so that one State tator on foreign affairs over station Prem ier can claim to have access to 2UW in Sydney and a contributor to dossiers on 16,000 people, as com­ the Cheesecake magazine M an. In pared with the 60 names available to his speeches and writings, Prentice Lieutenant-Colonel Powell in 1942. pursued a bitterly anti-communist, strongly pro-appeasement line. An Furthermore, repressive amend­ issue of M an had to be recast in Sep­ ments to the Defence Act have estab­ tember 1939 and a radio commentary lished a death penalty for treason cancelled in which Prentice explained not only to Australia, but some for­ Germany would not go to war. How­ eign power, proclaimed to be Austra­ ever, in the absence of Prentice, for lia's friend and ally. whom it must surely have created some embarrassment, the Perth mes­ The author may not agree with his sage went to former advertising agent conclusion, since he states at the end Lieutenant-Colonel Reginald Powell of his book that he leaves the answers for action. to questions raised therein to others. He states that he has attempted to Author Bruce Muirden relates how follow Dr. Elton's precept, which re­ Powell, accompanied by other mem­ gards it as an error to “study the past bers of army and military police in­ for the light it throws on the pre­ telligence, went to the Intelligence sent.’’ Be that as it may, the reader index, which listed the names of will find plenty of material for ser­ 60 members and sympathisers of the ious thought about issues which loom Australia First Movement. From this large today, such as freedom of con­ index, Major Tyrell chose 20 names, science, freedom to oppose government four of which were struck ofE by policy on foreign affairs. The broader Lieutenant-Colonel Powell. question of what justified the exer­ cise of such freedom and what justi­ No clear reason was ever estab­ fies its restraint, is outside the scope lished as to the grounds on which the of the author’s work. Nevertheless it 20 were selected or on what grounds is sure to stimulate some deeper the four were reprieved. It seems thought on these currently important from subsequent proceedings that the topics. It is a book to be commended choice, to a great degree, was purely to all students and others interested arbitrary. In the cooler atmosphere of in Australian history. the post-war years, when the inci­ dent was reviewed in retrospect by E. W . C a m p b e l l